Emergency responders and the Chemung River Friends are adding mile markers so people needing rescue may receive help more quickly.

The 6-foot-8, brightly colored signs will be installed along the banks in pairs on each side of the river at mile intervals. Letters and numbers on the signs designate locations and the initials of the fire department that covers that area or the river, according to the Friends. The signs will be removed before cold weather and ice flows, and returned in the spring.

Some signs will be posted at quarter-mile intervals along the hazardous river areas, according to the Friends. The signs will be located using GPS coordinates to better assist 911 centers in locating callers.

“If paddlers or fishermen get into trouble on the river and they have a cell phone, they can call 911 for assistance and use the mile markers to help emergency responders find their location,” Jim Pfiffer, executive director of the Chemung River Friends said in a statement. “It’s difficult, even for experienced river paddlers, to know where they are on the river. These signs are great first step in making the river safer.”

The first signs are scheduled to be installed this week in West Elmira between Winsor Avenue and an island just downstream from Fitch’s Bridge in Big Flats, West Elmira Police Chief Peter Michalko said.

In the next few weeks, the Big Flats and Golden Glow Volunteer Fire departments plan to install markers from Fitch’s Bridge upstream to the Chemung/Steuben county line, according to the Friends.

The project is a partnership between the Chemung County Emergency Management, River Friends, fire departments, emergency responders and the municipalities along the river.

“Eventually we would like to see mileage markers on the entire 45-mile river, from Painted Post in Steuben County to Athens in Bradford County, Pa.,” Pfiffer said in a statement.

“The success of the program depends on feedback from paddlers and river users, as to whether they can easily see the signs, read them and remember the sign number and letter,” Pfiffer said in a statement. “Paddlers need to be on the lookout for the signs and make a mental note of information on the sign.”

Follow Dave Bohrer on Twitter @ijsgdave.

Safety Tips

River safety tips from Chemung River Friends:

•Always wearing a properly fitted and bucked-up life vest when on our near the water.

•If you have never paddled a canoe or kayak, take a beginners class or join a guided paddle to learn the basics.

•Never paddle a river without first scouting out the paddle, ahead of time, either by boat or on foot, to look for hazards (like trees in the water) and other potential threats.

•River conditions, from water levels and sand bars to fallen trees and other obstructions, change all the time. A safe section of the river today may be blocked by a downed tree tomorrow.

•While paddling if you see a hazard ahead or are not sure about an obstruction in the river, pull ashore and investigate the hazard or walk your boats around it. Wear water shoes, sneakers or hard-soled shoes. Carry a whistle and spare paddle.